Evergreen Broadacres

Meet the Village Manager: Wilma Swart, Evergreen Broadacres

Wilma is one of our newest Village
Managers, having joined Evergreen Broadacres in August 2019. She has worked in
the Hospitality Management industry for the past 24 years and joins us from
Tsogo Sun, where she was General Manager of SunSquare Montecasino. During the
course of her career, Wilma has notched up a formidable collection of
qualifications, including an MBA from GIBS Business School. She is married with
two young daughters and is a firm believer in having a successful career as
well as a great family life. We’re delighted to welcome her to the Evergreen
team!

1. What does your average day look like?I’m in the office by 6am, looking at emails and handovers from the previous evening. Then I spend some time checking on things in the village and meeting up with residents – I try to find opportunities to go the extra mile or make things a little more special and personalised. I also try to engage with each of the village staff members on a daily basis, to touch base and ensure they know that their efforts are appreciated. I also need to ensure they have what they need to perform their duties to the fullest. I sneak out of the office at about 4.30pm and head to the park where residents walk their dogs, so I can steal as many doggy cuddles as possible – much to the dismay of my own Basset Hound, who can smell that Mommy has been cuddling other dogs at work!

2. What do you enjoy most about your work?The hospitality aspect of my work has always come naturally to me. I love delighting people and making them smile, and I enjoy being creative and adding a little something special to the way people experience things. Being new to Broadacres, I also love the casual conversations with residents and getting to know them better. They are a wonderful bunch of people with such interesting stories to tell. I sometimes feel like I get paid to socialise all day and I love it.

3. What are some of the things that you feel make Evergreen Broadacres unique or special?The residents make it special. They’re a lively and sincere bunch of people who have a strong sense of community and look after each other like family. I feel privileged to be part of ensuring that this is the village of their dreams.

4. What makes you feel inspired? Leaving things a little bit better than when you found them.

5. Do you have a favourite quote or mantra that you live by? If it’s going to be, it’s up to me.

6. When you’re not managing Evergreen Broadacres, you’re…? Making memories with my husband, two girls, mom and Basset Hound. I love cooking and preparing big family meals that we can all enjoy around the dinner table with lots of chatter and laughter.

7. What’s the greatest life lesson you’ve learnt thus far?God will never give you more than you are able to carry.

8. What’s something the Evergreen residents might not know about you?I only started at Broadacres on 1 August, so I suspect there is a lot the residents don’t know about me yet – one thing is that I don’t drink coffee at all.

9. What are some of your favourite spots near
the Broadacres village? The Spar at Broadacres is amazing. It’s my
new go-to shop for everything food related.

10. Who do you admire most and why?
I have a deep admiration for all healthcare workers whose compassionate
dedication and loving way of caring touches so many lives every day in so many
ways.